Warning are a semi-legendary British Doom band formed in 1994 by Patrick Walker - cousin of Miskatonic founder/Solstice/Isen-Torr guitarist Rick Walker. It must be in the blood or something. Warning released a much-worshipped album called The Strength To Dream in '99 and then promptly folded while the members did other things. Having established that they are a cult band, they felt free to get together again and produce a follow-up seven years later with this one.

Watching From A Distance is filled with magisterial, crushingly beautiful Doom riffs, emotional vocals, and the bleakest, most depressing lyrics you can imagine. Maybe they broke up the first time to avoid suicide, as this is some powerful evocation of heartbreak and emotional desolation. Listening to this all the way through is so painful it's hard to do it all at once. The melodies are slow, tragic, and uplifting all at once. Walker's vocals aren't operatic, but they are well-done and clean with a degree of emotion that's hard to bear up close. If you like realistic, depressing lyrics then this will be your thing, but I have to say they hit a little close to home for me, and as such I can't really listen to this album for enjoyment. The song quality does drop off a bit on the last few songs, which are not as arresting as the magnificent title track, or the immensely powerful "Footprints".

If Doom is your thing, then this will own you, as no other album has depressed me this much. Even if you do not like Doom, some of the most achingly beautiful guitar playing in metal history is on this album, and you should hear it at least once. An artistically uncompromising and emotionally wrenching album.